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10 Surprising Bowhunting Celebrities

The days of Hollywood’s love affair with the outdoors are long gone. While hunters, shooters and outdoorsmen were portrayed as heroic, noble figures in the films of yesteryear, you’re more likely to see some urban yuppie cast as the protagonist in today’s blockbusters.

However, there are still some celebrities who prefer to spend their time in a tree stand or ground blind when they aren’t on some soundstage, in front of a microphone or packed in a stadium full of tens of thousands of rowdy sports fans. While there are some big names you’d expect to see taking down a big buck—Uncle Ted, for example—but others may catch you off guard. Here are 10 of the most surprising bowhunting celebrities.

GALLERY: 10 Surprising Bowhunting Celebrities

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<h2>Chipper Jones</h2>Even though his MLB career spanning over 15 years is officially over, Chipper Jones is still one of the most respected baseball players of any generation. He's also a passionate bowhunter, hosting <i><a href="http://www.majorleaguebowhunter.com/" target="_blank">Major League Bowhunter</a></i> with Matt Duff and Jeff Danker. He's done some work with the boys at <a href="http://www.gameandfishmag.com/2012/10/25/duck-dynasty-interview-with-jase-robertson/" target="_blank">Buck Commander</a>, and oh yeah, he was pretty good at baseball too, widely regarded as one of the best switch hitters the game has ever seen. Great guy, great bowhunter and on our list as one of the most awesome celebs you'll likely come across.

<h2>Chipper Jones</h2>Even though his MLB career spanning over 15 years is officially over, Chipper Jones is still one of the most respected baseball players of any generation. He's also a passionate bowhunter, hosting <i><a href="http://www.majorleaguebowhunter.com/" target="_blank">Major League Bowhunter</a></i> with Matt Duff and Jeff Danker. He's done some work with the boys at <a href="http://www.gameandfishmag.com/2012/10/25/duck-dynasty-interview-with-jase-robertson/" target="_blank">Buck Commander</a>, and oh yeah, he was pretty good at baseball too, widely regarded as one of the best switch hitters the game has ever seen. Great guy, great bowhunter and on our list as one of the most awesome celebs you'll likely come across.

<h2>Blake Shelton</h2>Whether Blake Shelton is rocking it out on <i>The Voice</i> or doing other national appearances with his wife, Miranda Lambert, they both share this in common—they're avid deer hunters. What else do we love about Blake Shelton? <a href="http://www.petersenshunting.com/2012/07/13/who-is-huntings-sexiest-meat-eater/" target="_blank">He got into a Twitter war with PETA</a>, which finally gave up and blocked him from their feed. We'll raise a glass to that.

<h2>Karl Malone</h2>Besides being an NBA legend, Utah Jazz great Karl Malone, aka “The Mailman,” is an <a href="http://www.petersenshunting.com/2012/07/13/who-is-huntings-sexiest-meat-eater/" target="_blank">avid hunter with a hunting cabin</a> in Alaska. He's been a pretty outspoken supporter of gun rights and hunting in the U.S., which makes him a perfect fit for our list.

<h2>Brett Keisel</h2>Like his Pro Bowl quarterback, Pittsburgh Steelers defensive lineman <a href="http://www.northamericanwhitetail.com/2012/12/18/10-surprising-celebrity-deer-hunters/" target="_blank">Brett Keisel</a>—aka "Da Beard"— spends a good bit of his time away from the NFL enjoying his <i>other</i> favorite pastime: hunting. He hunts and he has a beard that makes the men from Duck Dynasty proud—it just doesn't get any better than that.

<h2>Matt Hughes</h2>A native of one of the United States' biggest whitetail hotspots, Pike County, Ill., <a href="http://www.petersenshunting.com/2012/07/13/who-is-huntings-sexiest-meat-eater/" target="_blank">Matt Hughes</a> is a nine-time world champion in the UFC, with an amazing 45 wins and a Hall of Fame career to boot. In his prime, he was considered one of the best pound-for-pound fighters of all time. He's since hosted his own hunting TV show, where he brings the same level of intensity as in his MMA days.

<h2>Miranda Lambert</h2><i>Nashville Star</i> finalist and certified country girl Miranda Lambert can <a href="http://www.petersenshunting.com/2012/07/13/who-is-huntings-sexiest-meat-eater/" target="_blank">hunt and fish with the best of them</a>, including her husband, Blake Shelton, and the couple shared some wedding venison for their nuptials. Proud to be a bowhunter, proud to be country and we're proud to have her on our list.

<h2>Paul Ryan</h2>One of the things we found out about Paul Ryan during his vice presidential bid is <a href="http://www.sportsmenvote.com/paul-ryan-bowhunting-made-me-a-better-public-speaker/" target="_blank">he's an avid bowhunter</a>. As a Congressman from Wisconsin, Ryan was proud to claim his hunting heritage when vying for the White House. That's enough to put him on our list—and to get some mad props from the bowhunting faithful.

<h2>Randy Couture</h2>Randy Couture loves to bowhunt—and he'll also smash your face in, which is reason enough to put him on this list. Couture is one of the most decorated UFC fighters of all time, competing in a record 15 title fights and collecting five world championships. Now that he's retired, he has more time to bowhunt and do a bit of acting. He starred in <i><a href="http://www.gunsandammo.com/2012/11/29/randy-couture-shooting/" target="_blank">The Expendables</a></i> with Sylvester Stallone, Arnold Schwarzenegger and Bruce Willis, and therefore must be considered one of the most awesome bowhunters in town.

<h2>Justin Tuck</h2>When he's not chasing down Tom Brady for another Super Bowl ring, Justin Tuck (right, pictured with <i><a href="http://www.bowhunter.com" target="_blank">Bowhunter</a> editor Curt Wells) often spends his time with a bow in hand, chasing down wild beasts of all kinds. Recently, he <a href="http://www.bowhunter.com/all-pro-javelina-bowhunting-javelina-with-justin-tuck.html" target="_blank">joined the crew from <i>Bowhunter</i></a> magazine for some javelina hunting in South Texas.

<h2>Ben Roethlisberger</h2>Ben Roethlisberger is not only one of the NFL's elite quarterbacks, he's also an avid bowhunter and supporter of <a href="http://www.bowtecharchery.com/" target="_blank">BowTech</a>. He shares some of his hunting time with fellow Steelers Brett Keisel and Merril Hoge, who both know their way around a treestand or blind. If you time it just right, you're bound to see him at the <a href="http://www.bowhunter.com/topics/ata-show-2013" target="_blank">Archery Trade Association Show</a>, where he comes out to support the cause.